Everything Photographic: J. T. Boysen and his ... - Yosemite Online

This image of Suzie McGowan and her daughter Sadie nearYosemite Falls was one of several photos Boysen took documentingthe lives of Native Americans in the park.state that in the event of either of their deaths, the businesswould revert not to the government but the remainingpartner instead. The letter states that "Mr. Boysen hashad a complete nervous break-down, and the possibilityof a paralytic stroke is imminent . After the forced moveto the New Village Mrs . Boysen's personal capital was putinto the business, in the effort to hold it together. Theresult of the above facts is that now, at the age of fiftyeight, this business is Mrs . Boysen ' s only means of livelihood."The nation was now in the throes of the GreatDepression, which was bad news for businesses connectedto tourism such as Boysen ' s Studio. In 1934, thepark superintendent wrote to the NPS Director statingthat " the photographic business seems to be growingprogressively worse . There appears to be a diminution inthe percentage of people who are having their developingwork done in the Park—the outlook is altogether discouraging." He asked the Director to defer the franchisepayment for the Boysens as the NPS had already done forMr. Foley.When the Boysens wrote to request the renewal oftheir concession in 1934, they asked that their marrieddaughter, Ellen, be included on the contract, stating that"Mrs . St . Clair has lived here most of her life and hasmanaged the business for the past five years ."After so many years in poor health, J.T. finally becamean invalid about 1934 . In March of 1939, Mabel Boysentook him to a sanitarium in Sacramento, where he diedon May 29 at the age of 70 . Following a Masonic funeralon June 1, his remains were buried in the MasonicCemetery in Mariposa.Acting NPS Director Arthur Demaray wrote to MabelBoysen offering "the deepest sympathies " of the NationalPark Service . `Although Mr. Boysen was not well the lastfew years of his life and he could not do the things hewanted, his pictures and the things he did in the earlydays of the park will long be remembered . The way youcarried on for him should always be a consolation to you .'Mabel Boysen operated the business and continuedto live in Yosemite Valley until her sudden death from aheart attack on May 10, 1943 . Her funeral was conductedin Mariposa by the Order of the Eastern Star on May 13.She was buried beside her husband . Superintendent andMrs . Frank Kittredge led a group of at least seventeenpeople from Yosemite Valley who attended the funeral.In August, Ellen sold the family business including the" buildings, personal property, equipment, inventories ofmerchandise for resale, inventories of supplies, and operatingrights of and to the photographic studio and personalliving quarters of the business " to the Yosemite Parkand Curry Company for $7,000. The company continuedto run the business as the Boysen Studio until 1947, whenthe NPS recommended renaming it to avoid misleadingthe public . The name change marked the end of a familiarValley landmark and an institution that helped record abygone era in Yosemite history.A native of Fresno, Steve Harrison vacationed inYosemite often while growing up . He recently retiredafter 30 years with the National Park Service . Heand his wife Donna now make their home in westernNorth Carolina but try to visit Yosemite at least oncea year.YOSEMITE ASSOCIATION, FALL 2008